Hello Everyone,
A couple weeks ago I asked what you do or have for a shop floor becouse I have been having severe pain in my back,legs,knees and feet. You all gave me some of the best advice that may have literally saved me from a very bad out come. Most of you told me I should go see my Doctor which I did and he did a herendouse amount of tests infact I I think they must have picked and poked every orfice on me. The outcome of all the tests came up with a disease thats called Austeomilitouse ( I think thats how its spelled) what it is is a disease that eats away at the inside of your bones. I could’nt beleive my ears so I went and got a second oppinion and it came up with exactly the same thing and they also claimed it also had a onset of another type degeneration disk disease (what luck) I guess they claim in a few years I’ll be in a wheel chair so I guess my shop floor is the least of my problems. So again thanks to you all at least now I know and now I’m on a ton of meds that they’ve perscribed and I have to go in and have a rod put in my spine in a few weeks. So I’m not sure if my woodworking career is over or just on hold for now.
Sincerely, James Clark
P.S
please dont be like I was and keep putting your health off if you have any thing going on with you out of the ordinary please get a hold of your Doctor and get checked you will be glad that you did …………….I hope……….
Replies
Jim,
Your a long way from ending your woodworking career. The surgery will go just find...and then they send you to those sweet physical therapy people...they'll work you back into shape..you'll be sore as 7734 (upside down and backwards)...but its okay cause you know your getting better. good luck
Hi Jim,
Glad you went to the doc. In life it is always good to know what you are dealing with. Now isten carefully, were not going anywhere and neither are you. Were going to be checking this post frequently and we want you to do the same. Please let us know every few days how your day is going. You are our internet woodworking friend and we are going to be here to support you. If you feel better tell us, if you feel worse tell us, and most of all...... if you are feeeling depressed let us know that also. Just remember your friends are just a keyboard away. Peace to you this night.
Edited 9/27/2003 8:01:12 PM ET by dove tail
Jim, we're all rooting for you and praying too. You were wise to consult a doctor. and so were those of you guys who urged you to not wait.
When ever you need a little cheering up, just hit that Knots button. We'll all jump in there and do our best to help you carry the load. When you're all patched up , your tools and machines will be waiting for you.
They are not inanimate objects (As many of our wives seem to think) They will do their best to please you, and you'll notice an improvement in your work right away. (something about Absence makes the heart grow fonder...I guess?)
Jim,I know a few friends of mine who have gone for spare parts (hips, shoulders, etc )and still swim every day, attend get togethers,and enjoy hobbys and diversions all the more.
Keep on keeping on, Stein.
jim
Good luck with the surgery. I wouldn't be overly concerned with your WW being over. I've been sitting on the shop floor all evening planing the bottom shelf of a new work-bench with a pull stroke. Hey those Japanese fella's work low.
Let me know when you get out of physical therapy and I'll build you one of those low-boy work-benchs like they use (when they use one at all). In the meantime, I'll leave the porch and shop lights on for you.
"When the going gets tough, the tough get going"...
sarge..jt
Candles lit for you, Jim. I'm so glad you went to the doctor. Osteomyelitis is not an easy diagnosis to get. But treatment is there for you - sounds like they're already trying to control the infection that causes the disease process - which is a sign of a good, fast, responsive medical team. Do your research, know what you're getting into. One of the pieces of info I found at medlineplus was that good circulation is a key - talk to the docs about what light exercising you can do, to keep the blood and oxygen flowing properly.
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000437.htm
Take good care of yourself, Jim, and stay in touch with all of your IRL and virtual friends.
Jim
it's not "bummer" except maybe for your bank balance. As others have said on these forums: planing a board to dimension by hand is good cardiovascular exercise, so you now have a valid excuse to spend more time in the shop.
best wishes
Ian
first of all, best of luck with your health-
secondly, i can tell by your spelling that your doctors have not provided any material on your condition for you to read. do yourself a favor and start researching your condition both online and at the library. i find knowing more about something is mostly a good thing (and be prepared to find out some not so good things)
anyway, i believe you need to web search on "osteomyelitis"
hang in there!
m
Man, You all sure know how to pull at a fellers heart strings. I was feelin kinda crummy today mainly becouse of this one stupid medicine they put me on makes me really sick to my stomach and very tired also but I was wanting to see how all of you were doing so I thought I'd take a few minutes and log on . Thank you all from the very bottom of my heart for your positive support. My wife came in a few minutes ago and told me to go rest awhile , I told her to check out what my fellow woodworking friends sent me in responce of one of my earlier posts. When I looked at her she was tearing up pretty heavly I could tell that all of you had the same affect on her. Again Thank you from her. ( She wanted me to be sure and thank all of you from her also )
Well I best get going for now I've been triing to get the shop cleaned up and blowed out with the air compressor and wanting to get all the tool surfaces waxed so they dont rust . I would also like to cover them up to keep the moisture and dust off of them . I'm starting early to give me plenty of time becouse it seems to take me for absolutly ever to get anything done. I know more get started and it seems I have to quit becouse I feel so darn exausted. Oh well given enough time it has to finish sometime.....
Thanks all of you again
Sincerely,
James Clark
Hello,
there is life after back surgery. I had the doc's spend almost 10 hrs putting mine back together in january. There is still woodwork you can do while sitting. I started learning carving (added a few cuts to my fingers). You can do amazing things with a small lathe. Pens, pencils, and other small items that take a lot of time can keep you sane. Get a cut resistant glove for carving. Increase your subscriptions to woodworking magazines and learn. You will be able to put your knowledge to use in a few months. Don't give up. Your wife will probably ignore the stacks of woodworking books and magazines on the floor near your bed.
Chuck
Jim, it's all about heart - if you have a big one, big enough to worry more about others than about yourself, you'll do fine. Best of luck, but from the sounds of it I don't think you'll be needing it.
Jim,
Your attitude will make a difference. Ignore reality, focus on the future. (let me explain what I mean)
If I may offer a suggestion. My son was diagnosed with leukemia about 17 years ago when he was a teenager. He went through 2 years of weekly chemotherapy, and spent about 5 of those 24 months in the hospital. One of the chemo drugs that he took every third week would cause a side effect of mild depression. My son had been a very optimistic person. During those phases of chemo, I helped him understand that the glass wasn't half empty -- his chemicals were lying to him.
He learned to "ignore" what appeared to him as "reality." He focused on dealing with the situation and focused on the future. In spite of the reality of how sick he was. Today, he is married and is a registered nurse working in a cardiac surgery unit of a hospital.
Have fun! The future is yours to define.
Alan -- planesaw
Jim,
I admire your your clear honesty about your condition. Learn all you can about your situation and get the best care you can.
Best wishes for a maximum recovery!
Jim, I read your original post and I felt so bad for you I didn't know what to say. I guess it hit me how our life can change so fast. Everybody has been so supportive and I would like to say, hang in there - your in my thoughts and prayers.
Ken K
Get well soon
Sincerely, Rob
Over 3 years ago I was diagnosed with cancer. I went through several months of treatments and had no energy to do anything but eat and sleep for several more months following the treatments. Eventually my body recovered enough to allow me to begin work and hobby activities. I started out slowly and built up strength and stamina over the next 18 months or so. During all of this, many people asked me how I could maintain a positive attitude. The answer was that I concentrated on "getting the job done" and looking to the future. I read about woodworking and my other hobbies. I kept my mind occupied and tried to learn what I could (when I could stay awake). Eventually I was able to start putting some of what I learned into practice. Actually, the most difficult period was after the treatments were completed and I was no longer actively engaged in trying to defeat my disease, but as a result of the treatments I still felt terrible. During that time I had many bouts with depression and it was family, friends and hobbies (in that order) that supported me through the bad times. I am now back to "normal" and I have been fortunate that (so far at least) my cancer has not returned.
I don't want this to sound trite, but take each day as it comes and try to make the best of it. I hope your case goes as well as mine (or better). As said by everybody else, let us know how things are going. We all want to help in any way we can, even if it is just to help you think about something else for a while.
A friend in woodworking,
Dick Baker
Jim, I'm sorry to be so late seeing your message, but wishing you the best during your treatment and surgery. Am so glad you went to your doctor right away and he wasted no time doing the work to find what was wrong.
I agree with previous posters that you can always come to us for support (and entertainment, LOL!). Also agree that you'd be wise to do some research -- ask your doctor to provide some literature, or do some searching on the web. It's to your advantage to understand what's going on and ask questions.
Hang in there, you'll be WWing again soon!
Regards,
Jamie
forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)
osteomyelitis
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000437.htm
Hi Jim- It is really great that you went to the doctor - OKAY - admit it guys, none of you are really as good about going for annual check-ups as we girls are! Read as much as you can - get a little light exercise going if the doc allows AND by all means, follow YOUR doctors' orders (and yes, in no time at all you'll probably have LOTS of doctors.) You'll see lots of information about alternative treatments on the web AS well as the more traditional stuff. Just remember that for your doc to do his job well - you have to do yours well. If you're interested in any of the stuff you read on the web ASK him about it. And remember - your body is YOUR body - your response to therapy is highly individual but will be greatly enhanced by having a great spouse AND a wonderful skill to get back too.
My hubby broke his back in a fall at work 3 years ago (actually before I knew him) and he has a steel rod in his spine after months in a body cast and his jaws wired shut from an additional injury. Had he not told me when I met him I would have never guessed. He was up under my Blazer changing the water pump this weekend - nah - we don't have a lift - he was on the garage floor and the dogs were laying there watching him work! He was back at his regular job in a couple of months. Your situation will be different as they manage a "disease-process" as opposed to an injury BUT the bottom line is - medicine does great things these days. You'll probably be better than before in 4-6 weeks following your surgery.
Keep us posted and holler if you just wanna talk, vent, cry - whatever. Rob It's football time in Tennessee! Go Vols!!!!
My biological father has had his hips and right knee done twice. He wore out the first prosthetic joints after almost 20 years. He gets around pretty good and is still working as a soils technition. My best friend's 20 year old son just had a heart transplant. 3 1/2 hour surgery and the sent him home in 9 days from LA Childrens Hosp. The previous record was 13 days. He's getting heavy steroid therapy, hence his new nickname, Blowfish, but otherwise he's doing amazingly well. The point is that medical technology continues to improve. The last time I tweeked my low back and did physical therapy, my therapist turned out to be a 20-something ex-Raderette. Somehow three times a week didn't seem to be near enough PT ;)
(too bad I didn't have a groin injury!)John O'Connell - JKO Handcrafted Woodworking
Life is tough. It's tougher if you're stupid - John Wayne
Hello everyone its me again I thought I'd take just a second to update you all on whats been happening. I've had some sort of an appointment ever since the tests came back positive on this crap in me. The Docs have poked ,proded, pulled and pressed every square inch of me. I personally think they are triing to keep me as busy as they possibly can and personally I think everyone of them must hold stock in the perscription drug companies becouse everytime I go to an appointment I seem to return with another medicine that has a name that uses every letter in the alphabet to spell it in fact I think they got me up to 10 differant meds now. ( Gees I'm not sure if they think they wont ever get enough in me.) Well I best get going for now I have another appointment this afternoon but I'll try and keep you all upto speed on whats happening and again thank you all for all the posts ,information and most of all you all taking the time just to listen while I vent a little.
Sincerely,
Jim C
Good to hear from you, Jim. Still got you on my evening candle-lighting list. If you can't play a sport, be one.
Jim, be patient with the various drugs - infections these days are hard to deal with and it takes trial and error to get the drug or combination that works.
2 months ago I knelt on the floor of my shop. When I got up the knee of my pants was wet - a small cut. Next day I had a bright red, basketball of a knee. 10 days including 3 different pills and finally intravenous antibiotics for an hour 4 times a day in the hospital to get it under control.
Jim,
Most everyone has faith in their doctor/s but from 20 years of expereince as a medical admisnistrator I can tell you that multiple physicians prescriping multiple meds can be problematic. I would urge you sit down with your primary physician and, even better, your Doc and a pharmacologist to determine if all of these meds are working for you or against you when taken in combination with each other. I don't want to be an alarmist but, at worst, this is an major cause of medical complications.
Having said that, I've been following this tread since the beginning and I can only add my voice to those who offer you support as you deal with this situation. Good luck.
Doug
I second the sitting down the with the doctor and a PharmD. Pharmacy programs are now 6 years beyond a bachelor's degree. The number of medications available has increased exponentially over the past 10-15 years or so and there's really no way a physician can keep up with all the possible drug interactions with the reduced amounts of time they're allowed to spend with their patients. Most large hospitals have PharmDs on staff who don't really work in the pharmacy - they work directly with the physicians to help in this arena. Again - hang in there but ALWAYS ask questions. A "questioning" patient is much safer than one who "takes" everything that's given them - always ask "what is this and what is it for?" - it just may be for the guy in the next room! For this very reason I always recommend that when you're hospitalized that a friend or family member be with you at all times. That way, if you get woke up to take some thing or to be "wheeled" off for some test/procedure there's someone else there to ask the questions for you. Great people work in hospitals but they're just like us - great people who occasionally make mistakes. You're in my prayers.
Robin and Molly & Sadie (the Wonder labs) - "Hey, mom, wonder if he'd rub our bellies if we licked his face?"It's football time in Tennessee! Go Vols!!!!
I have RA and am on about a dozen meds. The latest is HUMIRA. Heavy duty stuff.
I was wondering if you had any personal network of Pharm-D that might spread as far north as New Jersey. I have had a strong suspicion of late that the cure is becoming worse than the disease but can't get the Doctor time I need as the symptoms cover so many specialties.
Any info would be greatly appreciated. I will work on it from this end. If nothing else, many thanks for the idea.
Regards,
Hi Jim,
Just checking in with you. Hope today is going well for you. The leaves are starting to turn here in Pa. Hope you are able to get out and enjoy the nice day. Let us know how things are going with you.......
"Greetings from Pennsylvania to your wife and family".
Hello to all my Extended Woodworking Family,
As dove tail just asked if I was able to get out and enjoy the weather the answer is yes and here in Mich the leaves are about 2 weaks behind from completly changing but the best news of all is its suppose to be in the 70's all week so since weather is a very big factor on how I feel alls I can say is yeeeeee haaaaaaa I'm glad its going to be warm but we all know in the north eastern states old man winters going to be here all to soon.
I just wanted to keep you all up to speed on how things whent this last weekend. We live in a bi level home and Friday evening we came home quite late becouse of a school function for our children (Their in High School) I was comming up our back steps when my left leg decided to give way ( they seem to have a mind of their own for some reason now)I whent back down all five steps the hard way rearend first. My wife ran me down to the local ER and after my Doctor came he admitted me for the night for observasion and more testing Unbenownced to me when they did all the major testing a few weeks ago they had one that had to be sent to Anarbor to the big medical facility that does tests that the smaller hospitals around here arent equiped to do I think it's known as U of M. While I was there those tests had come back an like the old saying goes when it rains it poors would you all beleive it came back I have a type of Arthuritus its called Rumitoid Arthuritus. Gees how much more should one guy have to endure especially since I'm only 36 freakin years old. Well I guess I'll get goin for now but again like I said thank you all so very,very much for each and every one of you and your support.
Sinserely, Jim Clark
P.S
I hope you all can forgive me for my terrible spelling.
Hi Jim,
If you get time, drop us a short note and let all know how you are doing.
Peace to you and your family
Jim, in the Parade magazine, included in our Sunday paper, there was an article entitled "When the body attacks Itself. You might try to look that up, if you've not seen it.
Rheumatoid arthritis is covered in the article. I'm not an MD, and I hesitate to suggest the mentioned drug. However those mentioned include: Enbrel, Remicade, and Humira. With respect to the latter, "Within 18 hours of her first injection, she felt a difference. Three years later, with biweekly injections, she works as a labor-and-delivery nurse and goes hiking. "This medication has given me back the life I lost 25 years ago."
Good luck!
Jim:
Just caught this thread by accident and thought sharing some of my experiences might prove helpful.
I was diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis in 1994. I have also had 2 major back surgeries (1986 and 1996) and am still able to do some woodworking ( I am putting in a wooden floor over a cement slab in my garage at the moment) a fair bit of the time. My point is that things are far from as dark as you might think. Right now you are in a kind of shock (like a car accident) as you pass from the world of the healthy into chronic illness. Sorry about being so blunt but that is how Rheumatoid Arthritis is designated. As my first doctor said "it is not life threatening but it is life altering".
Some earlier posts made some important points I'd like to emphasize. NEVER BE A PASSIVE PATIENT. Learn about the disease and find a doctor that REALLY welcomes your participation. Make sure you find a RA specialist who will work with your Primary Care doctor.
There has been a tremendous amount of progress made in the last decade (much of it as an offshoot to AIDS research) in available medications. I recently began HUMIRA (mentioned a few posts earlier) and the results were very positive. These meds all carry a trade off in side effects so again study the data and accept/assume the roll of final decision maker.
RA covers a very broad spectrum from quite mild to severe. Generally the first overt attack is the most severe so all other things being equal, the worst may already be over.
As much (and sometimes even more) as anything else, RA effects us psychologically. This makes having places to share our thoughts and feelings vitally important. The net is a great source of info (The Arthrits Foundation has its own site) I strongly urge you to use it. Nothing is as scary as the unknown.
Feel free to contact me via personal E-mail. It would not be an imposition. I live in NJ and will be going down to the WW show at Ft. Washington PA at the end of the month.
Take care of yourself one day at a time. Looking TOO far down the road is often more trouble than it's worth.
Good Luck
Edited 10/15/2003 7:24:46 PM ET by MikeE
Hi Jim,
How have you been feeling? I haven't been on this site for a while now and was just thinking of you and wondering how you are doing.
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